Colclough leads the saddle bronc standings

Jason Colclough’s body thanks him.

For a little more than a decade, the Libby cowboy was a bull rider, accumulating more bumps and bruises than paychecks.

“I was bull riding, just not making many rides,” he said.

Some advice changed his arena trajectory.

“An old-timer told me, ‘Get on some broncs, it will help your bull riding,’ “ remembered the 34-year-old farrier.

Colclough entered both events at an open rodeo. It was his first saddle bronc ride and his last bull ride.

Still struggling to find his saddle bronc rhythm, Colclough invested in a new saddle a couple of years ago.

“I got me a good saddle. It fit. It was set up right for me,” he said.

Now his bank account thanks him.

Colclough leads the saddle bronc standings as the Mountain Health Co-Op Tour barrels into the second half of the season.

He won at Havre and Choteau, along with placing second at Conrad and third at the first Valley View rodeo in Bozeman, Polson and Harlowton. Colclough helped himself last weekend with a fourth-place check at the second Valley View rodeo and fifth at Eureka.

“I’m just drawing good right now,” he said. “I’m riding pretty confident. I’ve bucked off a few I shouldn’t have … I wish I could get back that one I had in Three Forks … I’ve learned to be more comfortable than riding bulls. I’ve found that rhythm.

“I have to keep a mindset that’s not about winning or losing, it’s about having fun. I’m just having fun with my friends. I just like getting on bucking horses. It’s been a good summer.”

Colclough is more than just a participant. He is also the saddle bronc director for the Northern Rodeo Association. He is helping the next generation.

“I think we respect each other,” said Colclough of competing against competitors almost half his age. He travels with Dalton May, a 25-year-old bareback rider. “As the director, I want to have a good relationship with the guys. I want to help, to grow the sport.”

Colclough, “Born and raised in Libby,” grew up on a small ranch. “I started riding horses when I was in diapers,” he added. His rodeo career has been helped by the tutelage of family friend P.J. Morrison, a former professional bull rider.

Colclough also has his own leatherwork company, Busted Bronc Leather, that creates chaps, belts and other items.

He was fifth in the final 2023 saddle bronc standings. Colclough plans to keep a competitive schedule.

“As a director, I feel like I need to be at the rodeos,” he said. “I just want to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

And there has been an additional benefit.

“Oh, definitely. My body likes bronc riding way more,” said Colclough.

Last week

The Cornwell family had a great time at the Sheridan Saddle Club Rodeo in Plentywood. Three cowboys – Jack, J.P., and Charlie – sharing the same surname won a combined $2,490.90.

Jack Cornwell was the big winner, sweeping the steer wrestling and tie-down roping titles for $1,449 in less than 16 seconds of work. The money won jumped him to second in the all-around cowboy standings.

J.P. Cornwell earned $727.90 in tie-down and team roping while partner Charlie pocked $313.95 in team roping.

Bull rider Bennett Weindel of Ronan traveled almost 600 miles to win the bull riding.

Kayla Stephens of Corvallis and Bozeman’s Erin McGinley earned $1,071 by sharing the breakaway roping win at Bozeman. Only a half-second separated the top eight finishers.

Reigning team roping champions Shawn Bird of Cut Bank and Livingston’s Zachary Schweigert tightened their grip on the standings lead with a $1,166 win at Eureka. Other big-check winners were Payton Levine of Wolf Creek ($1,276, barrel racing) and Polson’s Jessica Picchietti ($1,296), breakaway roping).

Bozeman winners: Dalton May, Coram, bareback; Hunter Haskins, Superior, saddle bronc; Caleb Oshea, Helena and Devyn Hundley, Darby, bull riding; Justus Peterson, Dillon, steer wrestling; Jesse Medearis, Belgrade, tie-down roping; Garrett Duncan-Gage Duncan, Belgrade, team roping; Ashlee White, Livingston, barrel racing; Kayla Stephens, Corvallis and Erin McGinley, Bozeman, breakaway roping; Chaney Akin, Cody, Wyoming, junior barrel racing; Deni Conway, Cut Bank, junior breakaway roping.

Plentywood winners: Justin Whiteman, Busby and Cardell Laughery, Ekalaka, saddle bronc; Bennett Weindel, Ronan, bull riding; Jack Cornwell, Glasgow, steer wrestling; Jack Cornwell, Glasow, tie-down roping; Jace Bishop-Jesse Benson, Scobey, team roping; Presley Powell, Alexander, North Dakota, barrel racing; Morgan Foss, Rhame, North Dakota, breakaway roping; Tye Brown, Helena, junior barrel racing; Brinley Tatsey, Valier, junior breakaway roping. Bareback: no qualified rides.

Eureka winners: Azreal Lara, Columbia Falls, bareback; Tyler Friend, Arlee, saddle bronc; Caleb Oshea, Helena, bull riding; Logan Beattie, Helena, steer wrestling; Quinn McQueary, Belgrade, tie-down roping; Shawn Bird, Cut Bank-Zachary Schweigert, Livingston, team roping; Payton Levine, Wolf Creek, barrel racing; Jessica Picchietti, Polson, breakaway roping; Sylvia Eash, Fortine, junior barrel racing; Stockton Bird, Cut Bank, junior breakaway roping.

Up next

The Mountain Health Co-Op Tour begins August with rodeos in Scobey, Superior and Townsend.

The Daniels County Fair is Aug. 1 with a 6:30 p.m. performance.

The Superior Lions Club Rodeo and the Broadwater Rodeo and Fair in Townsend are both Aug. 2 and 3.

The Townsend rodeo will be at 7 p.m. each night while Superior goes at 8 p.m. both performances.